This invention relates to a combined-type connector in which a plurality of connector housings, each having a plurality of terminals received therein, are connected together in a multi-stage manner to provide the combined-type connector.
FIGS. 4 to 8 show a combined-type connector (see Japanese Patent Application No. 9-223764). FIG. 4 is a perspective view of this combined-type connector, which shows a condition before it is brought into a combined condition. FIG. 5 is an enlarged, perspective view of an important portion of an upper connector housing as viewed from the lower side thereof. FIG. 6 is an enlarged, perspective view of an important portion of a lower connector housing as viewed from the upper side thereof. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an important portion, which shows a condition in which press-connecting terminals are held in contact with partition walls. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an important portion, which shows a condition in which the press-connecting terminal is pressed and deformed by the partition wall.
In FIGS. 4 to 8, the combined-type connector 1 includes the upper connector housing 2, and the lower connector housing 3, and a lower surface 2a of the upper connector housing 2 and an upper surface 3a of the lower connector housing 3 serve respectively as connecting surfaces opposed to each other. A plurality of terminal storage chambers 4 are formed in the upper connector housing 2, and extend in a forward-rearward direction, and are juxtaposed in a right-left direction. These terminal storage chambers 4 are separated from one another by the partition walls 5 (shown in FIGS. 7 and 8). A rear portion of the lower surface (connecting surface) 2a of the upper connector housing 2 is open to provide an opening 6, and rear portions of the terminal storage chambers 4 are exposed through this opening 6. The press-connecting terminals 7 (shown in FIGS. 7 and 8) are received in the terminal storage chambers 4, respectively, and one end portion of a wire W is press-connected to a wire press-connecting portion 7a formed at a rear portion of each press-connecting terminal 7. The wire press-connecting portion 7a is bent into a generally U-shape, and distal ends of opposed side walls thereof project upwardly beyond the partition walls 5.
On a front portion of the lower surface (connecting surface) 2a of the upper connector housing 2, three first front retaining projections 8 of a generally trapezoidal cross-section are formed to extend in the forward-rearward direction, one of these projections 8 being disposed at a central portion of this front portion whereas the other two projections 8 are disposed respectively on opposite sides of this central projection 8, and are spaced a predetermined distance therefrom. Second front retaining projections 9 are formed respectively on opposite ends of the front portion of the lower surface 2a of the upper connector housing 2. As best shown in FIG. 5, each second front retaining projection 9 includes a downwardly-extending, introducing rib 9a of a semi-circular shape, an introducing tapering convex portion 9b extending obliquely from a distal end of the introducing rib 9a, and a flat convex portion 9c extending horizontally from the bottom of the introducing tapering convex portion 9b. Rear retaining projections 10, each in the form of an engagement pole, are provided respectively on opposite side surfaces of the upper connector housing 2 at the rear portion thereof.
A plurality of terminal storage chambers 4 are formed in the lower connector housing 3, and extend in the forward-rearward direction, and are juxtaposed in the right-left direction. A rear portion of a lower surface of the lower connector housing 3 is open to provide an opening 6, and rear portions of the terminal storage chambers 4 are exposed through this opening 6. Similarly the upper connector housing 2, press-connecting terminals (not shown) are received in the terminal storage chambers 4 of the lower connector housing 3, respectively.
A cover 11 is connected to the lower side of the lower connector housing 3 through hinge portions (not shown). The opening 6 can be closed by this cover 11. A plurality of partition walls 12 are formed on a rear portion of the upper surface (connecting surface) 3a of the lower connecting housing 3 so as to be opposed respectively to the plurality of partition walls 5 on the upper connector housing 2. A wire position-limiting projection 13 (shown in FIGS. 7 and 8) is formed between any two adjacent partition walls 12.
Three first front retaining recesses 14 of a generally inverted trapezoid-shaped cross-section are formed in a front portion of the upper surface (connecting surface) 3a of the lower connector housing 3, one of these recesses 14 being disposed at a central portion of this front portion whereas the other two recesses 14 are disposed respectively on opposite sides of this central recess 14, the other recesses 14 are spaced a predetermined distance therefrom. Second front retaining recesses 15 are formed respectively in opposite ends of the front portion of the upper surface 3a of the lower connector housing 3. As best shown in FIG. 6, each second front retaining recess 15 includes a guide tapering recess portion 15a for receiving the introducing rib 9a and the introducing tapering convex portion 9b, and a horizontal recess portion 15b for receiving the flat convex portion 9c. Rear retaining arms 16 of an elastic nature are formed respectively on opposite side surfaces of the lower connector housing 3 at the rear portion thereof, and each of the rear retaining arms 16 has a rear retaining hole 17.
In the above construction, the press-connecting terminals 7 are received respectively in the terminal storage chambers 4 formed in the connector housings 2 and 3, and the wire W is connected at one end portion to each of the press-connecting terminals 7, and thereafter the opening 6 in the lower connector housing 3 is closed by the cover 11. Then, the upper connector housing 2 is set on a combining jig (not shown), with its lower surface 2a directed upwardly, and then the lower connector housing 3 is placed on the thus set upper connector housing 2 from the upper side, with the upper surface 3a thereof directed downwardly. When placing the lower connector housing on the upper connector housing, the first front retaining projections 8, the second front retaining projections 9 and the rear retaining projections 10 of the upper connector housing 2 are generally positioned with respect to the first front retaining recesses 14, the second front retaining recesses 15 and the rear retaining arms 16 of the lower connector housing 3, respectively.
Then, the lower connector housing 3 is pressed downwardly, so that the opposed connecting surfaces of the two connector housings 2 and 3 are moved toward each other, and therefore in this connecting position, the first front retaining projections 8 and the second front retaining projections 9 are fitted into the first front retaining recesses 14 and the second front retaining recesses 15, respectively. Also the rear retaining projections 10 are retainingly engaged respectively in the rear retaining holes 17 since the rear retaining arms 16 are elastically deformed. Therefore, the two connector housings 2 and 3 are combined together.
In accordance with the movement of the two connector housings 2 and 3 toward the connecting position, the partition walls 12 are moved toward the partition walls 5, respectively, and are substantially held against the partition walls 5 at their respective distal ends. Therefore, the terminal storage chambers 4 are substantially completely separated or isolated from one another, and the short-circuiting between the adjacent press-connecting terminals 7 is prevented.
In the above general combined-type connector, however, the positioning of the two connector housings 2 and 3 relative to each other during the connecting operation is unstable. Namely, the positioning of the front portions of the two connector housings 2 and 3 in the right-left direction is effected by inserting the first front retaining projections 8 into the respective first front recesses 14, and the positioning of these front portions in the forward-rearward direction is effected by inserting the second front retaining projections 9 into the respective second front recesses 15, and therefore there is no problem. However, the positioning of the rear portions of the two connector housings 2 and 3 is effected only by engaging the rear retaining projections 10 respectively with the elastically-deformable rear retaining arms 16, and therefore these rear portions can be easily displaced in the right-left direction which is the direction of elastic deformation of the rear retaining arms 16.
When the two connector housings 2 and 3 are moved toward the connecting position, with the lower connector housing 3 displaced in the right-left direction from the proper position, the partition walls 12 of the lower connector housing 3 abut against the wire press-connecting portions 7a of the press-connecting terminals 7 as shown in FIG. 7, and the wire press-connecting portions 7a are bent by a pressing force applied from the partition walls 12. When the wire press-connecting portion 7a of the press-connecting terminal 7 is bent outwardly as shown in FIG. 8, there is a fear that this wire press-connecting portion 7a contacts the adjacent press-connecting terminal 7, thus causing the short-circuiting.